Chantel has spent a significant time in hospital during a traumatic journey

Sign up to FREE email alerts from GlasgowLive - daily

When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they’ll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. OurPrivacy Noticeexplains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time.

A swine flu and double lung transplant survivor has issued a rallying call to Glaswegians to get more ventilators into our city's hospitals.

Cardonald woman Chantel McKenzie was struck down by the deadly virus in 2008 and had to wait 11 years before undergoing double lung transplant surgery last April. In her darkest days she weighed just a staggering three stone, one pound.

The 47-year-old knows more than most how vital ventilators are, with the equipment having saved her own life during her traumatic journey.

Chantel during her treatment

And in a bid to back NHS staff on the frontline in the fight against coronavirus, Chantel has launched a fundraiser she hopes will generate half a million pound to get Glasgow's doctors and nurses the equipment needed to save lives.

As of 2pm yesterday, there have been 632 positive cases of covid-19 confirmed in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde region, with a total of 76 deaths across Scotland.

Chantel, who is currently being 'shielded' on account of government guidelines, couldn't stress enough the need for ventilators to keep fellow Glaswegians alive, explaining: "I have had a double-lung transplant. I got swine flu 11 years ago, which left me with 22% of my lungs, needing a transplant. I waited eleven years - I got the transplant last year in April. I’ve had a long journey.

"When I got swine flu, I was on ventilators. When I was transplanted, I was on a ventilator again. I understand the importance of this equipment for our NHS. That’s why I started the fundraising page for life-saving equipment for our doctors and nurses on the frontline.

"I had to be put into an induced coma because swine flu was attacking my body. I was eight stone, three and by the time I was finished ventilation and the virus had impacted on my body, I was three stone, one."

Chantel wants to see Glasgow give all the support it can to NHS staff

"If I never had ventilators, I wouldn’t be here - it’s that simple."

And Chantel, who retains close relationship with respiratory doctors at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital following her life-saving treatment, knows first-hand the immense pressures our NHS staff are under right now.

She said: "I’m absolutely humbled by how many times they’ve saved my life and always been there for me.

Read More

Related Articles

Read More

Related Articles

"We’ve now got the SEC being turned into a crisis centre, so I think this appeal is going to be more critical to help relieve the staff. It’s going to be pandemonium over the next few weeks.

"They work so hard to save lives".

Meanwhile, as she asked Glaswegians to come forward and contribute, Chantel issued a warning coronavirus could affect any one of us, at any time.

How you can show some love for our NHS Heroes

At Glasgow Live, we’re proud to be part of the NHS Heroes campaign, making sure all the amazing people of this wonderful organisation know exactly how much they mean to the nation during the coronavirus crisis.

We’re asking you to show them love by helping us create a living map of gratitude from every corner of Britain. By dropping a heart on the map, you’re saying you appreciate the efforts undertaken daily in the NHS.